SECOND LANGUAGE

ACQUISITION THEORIES
Gielaine M. Licuanan
Discussant 1
1. Acquisition Learning Hypothesis
2. Natural Order Hypothesis
3. Monitor Hypothesis
4. Input Hypothesis
5. Affective-Filter Hypothesis

FIVE (5) THEORIES OF SECOND

LANGUAGE ACQUISTION
1. Acquisition Learning Hypothesis
 1. ACQUISITION-LEARNING HYPOTHESIS

As per Krashen’s (1982), acquisition-learning

distinction states that adults have two distinct and
independent ways of developing competence in a
second language.

First Way – Language Acquisition

Second Way- Language Learning
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 ACQUISITION-LEARNING HYPOTHESIS CLAIMS
THAT:

1. Adults also acquire. The ability to "pick-up"

languages does not disappear at puberty.
2. Error correction has little or no effect on
subconscious acquisition, but is thought to be
useful for conscious learning.

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 LEARNING VS. ACQUISITION (ABUKHATTALA,
2013)

LEARNING ACQUISITION
Conscious Process Subconscious process

Knowing the rules Picking up the language

Results in accuracy Results in Accuracy and Fluency

Formal, traditional teaching helps Informal, traditional teaching does not help

Available for correction Available for Automatic Production

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2. Natural Order Hypothesis
 2. Natural Order Hypothesis

 According to the Natural Order Hypothesis, learners of a

second language acquire structural items in a predictable
order regardless of the order of presentation.
 This means that some structures are more easily acquired
than others, and the order of difficulty does not necessarily
correspond with what we believe in an easy or difficult
structure.

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3. MONITOR HYPOTHESIS
 3. Monitor Hypothesis

The Monitor hypothesis suggests that acquisition

and learning are used in very specific ways. That is,
acquisition "initiates" our utterances in a second
language and is responsible for our fluency.
Learning, on the other hand, serves as a monitor, or
editor.

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3. Monitor Hypothesis

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To use the Monitor, three conditions should be met:

▰ Normal conversation does not allow enough

time to think about and use rules.
▰ Focus on form
▰ Knowledge of Rules

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 This hypothesis takes into consideration three
kinds of monitor users:

1. Over-monitor users - students who seldom

trust their acquired competence.
2. Under-monitor users - speakers who do not
really care about correctness, only meaning.
3. Optimal monitor users - or acquirers who
manage to use the Monitor only when it is
appropriate.
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